Despite being the author of what's considered one of the more draconian expansions of surveillance power in US history, even Patriot Act author Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner has come out against the NSA, going so far as to join the EFF's court battle against the intelligence agency.

Sensenbrenner would have you ignore he repeatedly demeaned and shot down critics who suggested the Patriot Act's overly-broad language would lead precisely to the kind of abuses illustrated by the Edward Snowden leaks.

Sensenbrenner has since acknowledged the problems with such overly broad legal language (without going so far as to admit any error on his part), and has been working on a new bill aimed at ending the NSA's bulk metadata collection program. Not only that, Sensenbrenner this week insisted that Director of National Intelligence James Clapper should not only be fired, he should be prosecuted:

quote:Sensenbrenner also called for the prosecution of Obama's director of national intelligence, James Clapper, who admitted misleading the Senate intelligence committee about the extent of bulk collection of telephone records. "Oversight only works when the agency that oversight is directed at tells the truth, and having Mr Clapper say he gave the least untruthful answer should, in my opinion, have resulted in a firing and a prosecution," said the congressman.

That Clapper remains not only employed, but overseeing the agency's PR response and the panel purportedly created to reform the agency, suggests to many that despite lots of sound and fury in recent months -- actual reform will only be skin deep.

Re: Good Luck With That

I 2nd that comment! I recall his past aliases: TK Junk Mail, Romney2012, throw the dems out, etc, etc. A fresh coat of paint can't hide his endless link spam and self-proclaimed journalism. Anyone can use Google and do the same thing.

He is taking responsibility by trying to get it changed and get the people currently in charge fired. What more do you want as far as taking responsibility? Kill himself? I don't see what more he can do than try to fix it legally.

You can't just say "oh the damage is done, live with it" because he's not the only one that has to live with it. He's human, he made a mistake, he fucked up, we all do it. Now he's trying to fix his mistake, not for himself, but literally for the American people.

Re: And how long before...

They all have some sort of skeleton in their closet. That's the ONLY reason this shit will get fixed.

The modern day version of the East German Stasi know knows too much about the secret inner dealings of our so called leaders in Washington. Everything from their mistresses, to their obsession with My Little Pony, to their affinity for "Twink" Pr0n. It gives the NSA incredible power to blackmail people in positions of power.

Whole country is just a scary place to live at this point.....--Petty people are disproportionally corrupted by petty power

He foolishly thought everyone would be like him....

Authoritarians always imagine everyone in charge will think like them and want the same things but history shows that is false.

Democrats, Republicans, Communists and Fascists all have fantasies about what they would do if only they were dictator for a day. Only libertarians and anarchists know that concentrated power is always abused in the end and should be avoided.

The US Founders knew this and that's why they so carefully put in checks and balances to avoid concentration of power.

In all honesty

Firing and prosecuting Clapper and his merry bunch of henchman would be about the ONLY way the current regime could bring any credibility and legitimacy to themselves. Until such an event happens, intelligent Americans and freedom loving people around the world will view them as "the enemy" who usurped the Constitution and created their own Amerika, a police state.

I'm kind of surprised to see Sensenbrenner come out on the side of America and support a free, constitutional government especially after having numerous exchanges with my own federal representatives, that I EXPECTED to support the Constitution and the rights and freedoms of the American People, but who have instead tacitly supported this outrage with their lack of action and their silence. I guess you never know who the "good guys" are until things hit the fan. I hope everyone takes a good, long hard look at their own representatives. If they don't support the rights and freedoms of the American People first and foremost, they really don't belong in office.--"when the people have suffered many abuses under the control of a totalitarian leader, they not only have the right but the duty to overthrow that government." - The U.S. Declaration of Independence

Re: In all honesty

Well, that's a good start. It's time to get ALL the Congress Critters worried.

"When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. " - Thomas Jefferson--"when the people have suffered many abuses under the control of a totalitarian leader, they not only have the right but the duty to overthrow that government." - The U.S. Declaration of Independence

Yes, it's on a Post-It stuck to the wall in George's Headquarters down the street with his initials on it.

If it's not a direct quote Mr. Jefferson spoke those sentiments often enough to satisfy me. Can anyone say for a fact that he never spoke those words?--"when the people have suffered many abuses under the control of a totalitarian leader, they not only have the right but the duty to overthrow that government." - The U.S. Declaration of Independence

2013-Oct-12 9:37 pm: ·

NormanSI gave her time to steal my mind awayPremium,MVMjoin:2001-02-14San Jose, CAkudos:12

Re: In all honesty

They are not attested prior to 1914. I am satisfied that Jefferson was long dead by them. Perhaps he spoke from the grave?

Come back when you have positive proof...and back on topic, it's good to see SOMEONE in Congress calling for the prosecution of the Clapper.

Clap oh clap oh clap, they call him the Clapper....Clap, clap, clap, you know what HE'S after.....--"when the people have suffered many abuses under the control of a totalitarian leader, they not only have the right but the duty to overthrow that government." - The U.S. Declaration of Independence

Deflection?

This topic demonstrates very well why nothing can be accomplished in our current system. Instead of directing attention to the actual problem (the overly-broad Patriot Act and the abuse that has come from it, along with the egregious and flagrant mockery done by Clapper), everyone here seems preoccupied with excoriating Sensenbrenner. Thus, nothing will ever get done about the real problem because of all the distraction and deflection.--Teabaggers: Destroying America is Priority #1

Re: Deflection?

If the patriot act scares you, check out the National Defense Authorization Act. That takes everything to a new level and was signed by the current administration. It shows that the reps and dems are all the same group of crooks.